


reunion

by ariabrook



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: F/M, Female Runner Five, Post-Mission: s01m09 A Voice in the Dark, Selectively Mute Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 20:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3868876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariabrook/pseuds/ariabrook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A very short little drabble, written rather hastily after I finished A Voice in the Dark, because it made me feel a lot of things. Featuring a selectively mute Runner Five and Actual Puppy Sam Yao.</p>
            </blockquote>





	reunion

Everything was so bright, and loud, and it was happening all at once, so she barely had time to breathe. Most of the soldiers on watch were applauding—a few even patted her on the back—and one shoved a cup of water into her hand. She downed it instantly, and tried her best to keep on walking, even though the noise had brought more curious onlookers. Her body was far too tired to reroute attention to speech, an ability she rarely used anyway, but as it was she couldn’t bring herself to tell everyone to give her some space. She put her hands over her head, interlacing her fingers and resting them against her neck, and took deep breaths in and out.

She discerned Eugene and Jack in the crowd, and when she caught the latter’s eye he gave her a thumbs up. Weakly, she waved in return. There were other familiar faces—Molly waved from her perch on her father’s shoulders, Runner Eight nodded approvingly from a distance, understanding the need for space—but there was only one person in Abel that she wanted to see more than anyone.

Amidst the crowd of smiling people, a familiar face emerged. It would have been fairly easy to spot him anyway, due to his height, but she was already looking for him. It was Sam Yao who stood a few feet away, with the biggest grin that she’d ever seen on his face.

Her other thoughts and worries melted away as she sprinted toward him with the last bit of her energy, practically tackling him in a hug. Surprised, he staggered back a bit, but regained his footing soon enough and returned the embrace. It was the tightest she’d ever held onto someone in her life, or at least in her memory. She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her face into his chest, not sure if the moisture on her cheeks was from sweat or tears. And she could feel him grip onto her just as tightly, his chin on her shoulder and his hands clutching the fabric of her shirt.

Five smiled, her face still mashed against Sam, and whispered, too low for him to hear even if the crowd around them hadn’t burst into another round of cheers at the sight of their reunion, “Hi, Sam.”

And, as if he could hear her, he turned his head toward her neck and said, “Welcome back, Five,” into her ear.

There was much to discuss, she thought. Or at least, there was a lot for Sam to talk about while she listened and occasionally nodded, communicating reassurance in her silent way. But right now, they were both alive. And in this kind of world, that was enough.


End file.
